Molecular Characterization of Associated Pathogens in Febrile Patients during Inter-Epidemic Periods of Urban Arboviral Diseases in Tapachula Southern Mexico.

Emerging and re-emerging vector-borne infections are a global public health threat. In endemic regions, fever is the main reason for medical attention, and the etiological agent of such fever is not usually identified. In this study, non-specific febrile pathogens were molecularly characterized in serum samples from 253 patients suspected of arbovirus infection.

Different epidemiological profiles in patients with Zika and dengue infection in Tapachula, Chiapas in Mexico (2016-2018): an observational, prospective cohort study.

Background: The introduction of Zika and chikungunya to dengue hyperendemic regions increased interest in better understanding characteristics of these infections. We conducted a cohort study in Mexico to evaluate the natural history of Zika infection. We describe here the frequency of Zika, chikungunya and dengue virus infections immediately after Zika introduction in Mexico, and baseline characteristics of participants for each type of infection.

Comparison of the Impact of Zika and Dengue Virus Infection, and Other Acute Illnesses of Unidentified Origin on Cognitive Functions in a Prospective Cohort in Chiapas Mexico.

Zika has been associated with a variety of severe neurologic manifestations including meningitis and encephalitis. We hypothesized that it may also cause mild to subclinical neurocognitive alterations during acute infection or over the long term. In this observational cohort study, we explored whether Zika cause subclinical or mild neurocognitive alterations, estimate its frequency and duration, and compare it to other acute illnesses in a cohort of people with suspected Zika infection, in the region of Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico during 2016-2018.

Comparison of clinical characteristics of Zika and dengue symptomatic infections and other acute illnesses of unidentified origin in Mexico.

Background: Our purpose was to provide a detailed clinical description, of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities, and temporality in patients with confirmed Zika and dengue infections, and other acute illnesses of unidentified origin (AIUO).

Methods/ Principal Findings: This was a two-year, multicenter, observational, prospective, cohort study. We collected data from patients meeting the Pan American Health Organization's modified case-definition criteria for probable Zika infection.

Patterns of signs, symptoms, and laboratory values associated with Zika, dengue, and undefined acute illnesses in a dengue endemic region: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study in southern Mexico.

Objectives: Dengue and Zika infections cause illnesses with overlapping clinical manifestations. The aim of this study was to explore the association of each of these infections with single or grouped clinical and laboratory parameters.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data were collected prospectively from a cohort of patients seeking care for symptoms meeting the Pan American Health Organization's modified case-definition criteria for probable Zika virus infection.

A unique immune signature of serum cytokine and chemokine dynamics in patients with Zika virus infection from a tropical region in Southern Mexico.

Objectives: To describe the kinetics of circulating cytokines and chemokines in humans with ZIKAV infection.

Methods: Serum levels of different immune mediators in patients with ZIKAV infection were measured at distinct stages of the disease, as well as in culture supernatants from human monocytes infected with a clinical ZIKAV isolate. We also looked for clinical features associated with specific immune signatures among symptomatic patients.

Serial real-time RT-PCR and serology measurements substantially improve Zika and Dengue virus infection classification in a co-circulation area.

Background: Real-time RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction) is considered the gold standard for Zika virus (ZIKV) infection diagnosis, despite its low sensitivity. Diagnosis using recommended serologic cutoffs in co-circulating Flaviviruses areas maybe inadequate due to in-vitro cross-reactivities of Flaviviruses-specific antibodies. We evaluated Zika diagnosis in symptomatic patients using serial RT-PCR and develop a classification model using serial Dengue virus (DENV) and ZIKV serologies.

Differential human antibody repertoires following Zika infection and the implications for serodiagnostics and disease outcome.

Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in Americas led to extensive efforts to develop vaccines and ZIKV-specific diagnostics. In the current study, we use whole genome phage display library spanning the entire ZIKV genome (ZIKV-GFPDL) for in-depth immune profiling of IgG and IgM antibody repertoires in serum and urine longitudinal samples from individuals acutely infected with ZIKV. We observe a very diverse IgM immune repertoire encompassing the entire ZIKV polyprotein on day 0 in both serum and urine.

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Chikungunya Virus Infections in Southeast Mexico.

Chikungunya fever is an arthropod-borne infection caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Even though clinical features of Chikungunya fever in the Mexican population have been described before, there is no detailed information. The aim of this study was to perform a full description of the clinical features in confirmed Chikungunya-infected patients and describe the molecular epidemiology of CHIKV.

Clinical characterization of acute and convalescent illness of confirmed chikungunya cases from Chiapas, S. Mexico: A cross sectional study.

Background: The emerging chikungunya virus (CHIKV), is an arbovirus causing intense outbreaks in North America. The situation in Mexico is alarming, and CHIKV threatens to spread further throughout North America. Clinical and biological features of CHIKF outbreaks in Mexico have not been well described; thus, we conducted a cross sectional study of a CHIKV outbreak in Chiapas, Southern Mexico to further characterize these features.